The Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music at the New York Philharmonic, which recognizes a composer for extraordinary artistic endeavor in the field of new music, has been awarded to Dutch composer Louis Andriessen. Mr. Andriessen was chosen to receive the Kravis Prize for his lasting contributions to new music by a Selection Committee of leading artists and administrators who have close ties to the New York Philharmonic and a demonstrated interest in fostering new music. One of the world's largest new-music prizes, the Kravis Prize for New Music is awarded every two seasons, and includes $200,000 and a commission to write a work for the New York Philharmonic. Funding for the Kravis Prize comes from a $10 million gift to the New York Philharmonic in 2009 by Henry R. Kravis in honor of his wife, Marie-Josée, for whom the Prize is named.
The Philharmonic will give the World Premiere of a new orchestral work by Mr. Andriessen in the 2018-19 season, led by Jaap van Zweden, who will then be in his first season as Music Director of the
New York Philharmonic.
Mr. Andriessen said: "It is an immense honor to receive The Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music, and I send my deep and solemn feelings of gratitude. Being preceded by such masters as Per Nørgård and Henri Dutilleux is in itself already a great inspiration. I admire them both and have known and adored Dutilleux since I was 18 years old. My father, the composer Hendrik Andriessen, used to say: 'We are not important; the music is important, and we have the duty to write as well as we can.' It is in this spirit that I will write for the
New York Philharmonic."
"The Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music builds on the
New York Philharmonic's longstanding commitment to supporting today's composers and commissioning new music," said Philharmonic President
Matthew VanBesien. "I t
Hank Henry and Marie-Josée Kravis for making this significant Prize possible. We are looking forward to establishing a connection with Louis Andriessen, a dynamic composer who has explored personal and global topics though a musical voice that is both idiosyncratic and exciting."
Mrs. Kravis thanked the committee members, saying: "I congratulate the
New York Philharmonic on its selection of Louis Andriessen as the recipient of the Prize. Since his emergence as a musical renegade, he has become a major influence on composers who are active today. I hope that the Prize leads to Andriessen's work being even more present in New York, and in extending his influence further."
Louis Andriessen has been a major influence on today's composers, including
Julia Wolfe, Derek Bermel, and Missy Mazzoli, all of whom have been involved in the Philharmonic's new-music initiatives - the NY PHIL BIENNIAL, the exploration of today's music;
CONTACT!, the new-music series; and The New York Commissions, in which the Philharmonic is celebrating its long history as an active commissioner and New York City cultural institution by commissioning works on New York-inspired themes from New York-based composers, on the occasion of the Philharmonic's 175th anniversary season. The
New York Philharmonic performed the New York Premiere of Louis Andriessen's
De Staat in May 1986, led by
Gunther Schuller, as part of the Orchestra's new-music series
Horizons.
In December 2011 the inaugural Kravis Prize for New Music was awarded to Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013), who shared the proceeds with three composers - Anthony Cheung, Franck Krawczyk, and Peter Eötvös - each of whom was commissioned to write a work for the Orchestra.
Alan Gilbert and the
New York Philharmonic gave the World Premiere of Anthony Cheung's
Lyrain June 2014; the World Premiere of Peter Eötvös's
Senza sangue in Cologne, Germany, on the Orchestra's EUROPE / SPRING 2015 tour, and its U.S. Premiere in New York City in May 2015; and the World Premiere of Franck Krawczyk's
Après in April 2016. The second Kravis Prize was awarded to Per Nørgård in June 2014;
Alan Gilbert led the Philharmonic in the U.S. Premiere of Per Nørgård's Symphony No. 3 during the second NY PHIL BIENNIAL, in June 2016.
In alternating years, when no Kravis Prize is given, the Orchestra names the Kravis Emerging Composer, who receives a $50,000 stipend and a commission. Sean Shepherd was named the 2012 Kravis Emerging Composer, which led to the commission and premiere of
Songs in June 2014, led by
Alan Gilbert. Anna Thorvaldsdottir was named the second Kravis Emerging Composer in June 2015;
Alan Gilbert will lead the Philharmonic in the New York Premiere of Ms. Thorvaldsdottir's
Aeriality in May 2017, and the Philharmonic has commissioned Ms. Thorvaldsdottir to compose a work that the Philharmonic will premiere in a future season.
The Selection Committee for the Kravis Prize for New Music includes Philharmonic Music Director
Alan Gilbert; Jaap van Zweden, who becomes Music Director in the 2018-19 season after serving as Music Director Designate in the 2017-18 season; Esa-Pekka Salonen, The Marie-Josée Kravis Composer-in-Residence at the
New York Philharmonic, 2015-18; Nicholas Kenyon,managing director,
Barbican Centre, London; Ara Guzelimian, provost and dean of The Juilliard School; and Daniel Druckman,
New York Philharmonic Associate Principal Percussion.
Composer Louis Andriessen was born in Utrecht, The Netherlands, in 1939 into a musical family: his father, Hendrik, and his brother, Jurriaan, were established composers in their own right. Mr. Andriessen studied with his father and Kees van Baaren at the Hague Conservatory, and between 1962 and 1964 he undertook further studies in Milan and Berlin with Luciano Berio. Since 1974 he has combined teaching with his work as a composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as the leading composer working in the Netherlands today and is a central figure in the international new-music scene. From a background of jazz and avant-garde composition, Mr. Andriessen has evolved a style employing elemental harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic materials, heard in totally distinctive instrumentation. His acknowledged admiration for Stravinsky is illustrated by a parallel vigor, clarity of expression, and acute ear for color. Mr. Andriessen's range of inspiration is wide, spanning the music of Charles Ives in
Anachronie I, the art of Mondrian in
De Stijl, medieval poetic visions in
Hadewijch, and writings on shipbuilding and atomic theory in
De Materie Part I. He has tackled complex creative issues, exploring the relation between music and politics in
De Staat, the nature of time and velocity in
De Tijd and
De Snelheid, and questions of mortality in
Trilogy of the Last Day. Mr. Andriessen's compositions have attracted many leading exponents of contemporary music, including De Volharding and Hoketus, two Dutch groups named after his works. Other eminent Dutch performers include Asko|Schönberg, Nieuw Amsterdams Peil, Schoenberg Quartet, pianists Gerard Bouwhuis and Cees van Zeeland, and conductors Reinbert de Leeuw and Lucas Vis. Groups outside the Netherlands who have commissioned or performed his works include the San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Kronos Quartet, London Sinfonietta, Ensemble Modern, MusikFabrik, Icebreaker, and the Bang on a Can All-Stars. Collaborative works with other artists include a series of dance projects, the full length theater piece
De Materie created with
Robert Wilson for the Netherlands Opera, and three works created with
Peter Greenaway: the film
M is for Man, Music, Mozart, and the stage works
ROSA Death of a Composer and
Writing to Vermeer, premiered at the Netherlands Opera in 1994 and 1999 respectively. Mr. Andriessen's collaborations with filmmaker Hal Hartley have included
The New Math(s) in 2000 and
La Commedia, an operatic setting of Dante for Netherlands Opera premiered at the Holland Festival in 2008. Nonesuch Records has released a series of recordings of Louis Andriessen's major works, including the complete
De Materie, ROSA Death of a Composer, and
Writing to Vermeer. Commissions since 2010 include the music theater piece
Anaïs Nin, for singer Cristina Zavalloni and eight musicians, and
La Girò, for violinist Monica Germino and large ensemble, which was premiered at MITO SettembreMusica in 2011. The 2013-14 season brought premieres of
Mysteriën by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, conducted by Mariss Jansons, and
Tapdance for percussion and large ensemble, with Colin Currie in the ZaterdagMatinee series in Amsterdam. Mr. Andriessen's new opera,
Theatre of the World,receives first performances in Los Angeles and Amsterdam in 2016. Louis Andriessen held the Richard and Barbara Debs Composer's Chair at
Carnegie Hall, and was awarded Composer of the Year Award by
Musical America in 2010. He won the 2011 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition for his opera
La Commedia, which was released on CD and DVD by Nonesuch in 2014. Louis Andriessen is published by Boosey & Hawkes.
Henry and Marie-Josée Kravis have long been generous supporters of new music at the
New York Philharmonic. In 2009 they made a gift of $10 million to the Orchestra, endowing both The Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music at the
New York Philharmonic and the Composer-in-Residence position. This gift supported the commissioning of Franck Krawczyk's
Après (April 2016); Peter Eötvös's
Senza sangue (May 2015);
Christopher Rouse's
Thunderstuck (October 2014); Sean Shepherd's
Songs(June 2014); Anthony Cheung's
Lyra (June 2014);
Christopher Rouse's Symphony No. 4 (June 2014) and
Prospero's Rooms (April 2013); and
Magnus Lindberg's Piano Concerto No. 2, written for
Yefim Bronfman (May 2012),
Al Largo (June 2010),
Souvenir (in memoriam Gérard Grisey) (November 2010), and
EXPO (September 2009). Before extending this gift, Mr. and Mrs. Kravis supported the commissions of six new compositions: Peter Lieberson's
The World in Flower (May 2009); Marc Neikrug's
Quintessence (March 2008); Bernard Rands's
Chains Like the Sea (October 2008); Esa-Pekka Salonen's Piano Concerto (February 2007); Augusta Read Thomas's
Gathering Paradise, Emily Dickinson Settings for Soprano and Orchestra (September 2004); and
Stephen Hartke's Symphony No. 3 (September 2003).
The
New York Philharmonic connects with up to 50 million music lovers annually through performances, education, broadcasts, and the Digital Archives. The 2016-17 season marks the Orchestra's 175th anniversary and Music Director
Alan Gilbert's farewell season. The Philharmonic has always championed contemporary music, with current projects including the NY PHIL BIENNIAL;
CONTACT!, the new-music series; and The New York Commissions. The annual free citywide Concerts in the Parks, Presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer, are complemented with Philharmonic Free Fridays and education programs, including the famed Young People's Concerts and the
New York Philharmonic Global Academy, collaborations with partners worldwide to train pre-professional orchestral musicians, often alongside performance residencies. America's oldest symphony orchestra has appeared in 432 cities in 63 countries and long been a media pioneer, today sharing live performances through downloads and online.
Alan Gilbert became Music Director in 2009 - succeeding titans including Bernstein, Toscanini, and Mahler.
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